Nairobi: The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) intends to register at least 80,000 new voters in Naivasha and Gilgil sub-counties despite a low turnout at the start of the nationwide exercise.
According to Kenya News Agency, the registration drive targets enlist more than 44,000 new voters in Naivasha and an additional 40,000 in Gilgil during the exercise ahead of the 2027 polls. However, returning officers from the two sub-counties have raised concerns regarding the very low voter turnout recorded since the exercise commenced on Monday.
For instance, Naivasha Returning Officer, Ms. Lekisaat Seina, reported fewer than 20 new registrations in the past three days. To boost the process, new strategies are being rolled out, including outreach in markets, schools, churches, and sporting events, with the support of local administrators.
'As of 2022, Naivasha had 157,128 registered voters, with a target of adding an additional 44,000 by 2027, though a slow start raises concerns,' said Lekisaat. Speaking to the press at her Naivasha office, she urged the youth to register, emphasizing that a voter's card is essential for making democratic choices in the upcoming elections.
Ms. Seina expressed support for the establishment of 11 new registration centers in addition to the current 112 and proposed the creation of 284 additional polling stations to alleviate congestion in locations with voter populations exceeding 5,000. She emphasized the necessity for new voters to provide either their original national ID card or passport when registering to vote or when requesting a change of their polling station.
Additionally, in the upcoming elections, the IEBC will use biometric, facial, and iris recognition technology to enhance the speed of the verification process during voting. Furthermore, she stated that, since 2022, over 25,000 ID cards have been issued in Naivasha; however, 6,000 of these cards remain uncollected. Local Chiefs have been instructed to assist in the distribution of the cards to enable eligible citizens to participate in the registration process.
Lekisaat announced intentions to extend the exercise to the ward level in the upcoming months, expecting this initiative to be implemented in three phases leading up to the 2027 elections. Meanwhile, Mr. Peter Muigai, the Returning Officer in Gilgil, reported that fewer than 25 individuals registered as new voters within the first three days of the registration exercise. Hence, the commission aims to add 40,009 voters to the existing database of 95,000 voters in their IEBC records.
Lastly, Mr. Muigai supported a proposal to add six new polling stations to the current 100, indicating that this addition would alleviate voting congestion.